Budgie biting!

[dazboh]

So, we bought a budgie a few weeks ago now about 10-12 weeks old.

From day one, he seemed so tame and would let you stroke him, sit in your hands etc. 

Her has the roam of the house and the cage top is always off. Regularly getting handled, he does like to nibble a lot though. 

In the last week or so, he had been flying down to us and the kids, landing on our heads, faces, shoulders whatever really. Having a special likeness for our baby girl who is 1.

There has never been a situation that has scared him. 

But lately, he keeps flying down to us, and biting quite hard for seemingly no reason. It doesn't damage it hurt us adults unless it's in your lip but it does to our children. 

I have absolutely no idea why he is doing this or how to stop it. My wife had now said she is putting the cage top on and doesn't want him out and in fact, doesn't want him at all cos he is too aggressive!

What can we do? I keep telling her it will pass and is only because he is a baby, but is it? Will it pass?? 

[OP]

Yes it will pass, at least to some extent. At 12 weeks he/she is finding their own character and coming into what we know as the terrible teens. Having said all that you do not have to put up with it. Now is the time to train him and let him know that biting for no reason is not on. One thing I would suggest is leave off any stroking and petting. If budgies want to be touched they will do the touching.

How do you stop him biting? There are many posts and methods of doing this. My favourite method is to say to him a very sharp "NO". You can accompany that by putting him back in the cage.

One thing I will ask is are you sure he is a he? A good picture showing the cere (the part just above the beak) taken in natural daylight. We may be able to tell you the gender and this could change what I have told you in the paragraphs above.

[Hezz]

Agree with the above. Yes, generally it will pass as your budgie matures, but that can be a hard transition with little people, with lower pain threshholds to consider. Having said that, he will not learn by being shut up in the cage all day, every day. Definitely tell him off when he bites, put him in his cage for 10 minutes or so, and allow he to try again. Lots of praise when he is a good boy, if he is a boy, find a treat that he likes - millet sprays usually work well, but only give him small amounts and don't have it in the cage available at all. Give his beak something else to do besides bite you. Provide lots of shreddable toys, and don't allow him free range with the little one(s). Make sure you supervise his time with her - for the safety of both.